Rgk Exec Dir Guide SM

8/4/2019 Rgk Exec Dir Guide SM

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An Executive Directors Guide to

Maximizing Volunteer Engagement


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Key advisors to the Volunteer Champions Initiative include: Betty Stallings o Building Bet-ter Skills; Susan J. Ellis o Energize, Inc.; Je Brudney, Ph.D., o Cleveland State University;Jane Leighty Justis o the Leighty Foundation; and Jackie Norris (ret.) o Metro Volunteers.The Guide is a publication o the RGK Center or Philanthropy and Community Service othe LBJ School o Public Aairs o The University o Texas at Austin. For more inormationabout the RGK Center, please go to http://www.utexas.edu/lbj/rgk/. For resources in volun-teerism see http://www.serviceleader.org. Special thanks is given to the executive directorso nonprot organizations in Austin, Texas, and Denver, Colorado, who shared their timeand insights or the development o this Guide.

An Executive Directors Guide toMaximizing Volunteer Engagement

By

Sarah Jane Rehnborg, Ph.D.

with the assistance of

Wanda Lee Bailey, Meg Moore, and Christine Sinatra

A publication of the

RGK Center for Philanthropy & Community Service

The LBJ School of Public Affairs

University of Texas at Austin


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An Executive Directors Guide

2

Volunteers: A Distinctive Feature

o the Nonproft Sector

One o the most distinctive eatures o the nonprot sector is its

voluntary nature. Nonprots do not coerce people to work within

the sector nor do they possess the right to mandate the use o their

services (Frumkin, 2002). For nonprot organizations, ree choice

is the coin o the realm. Donors give because they choose to do so.

Volunteers work o their own volition (p. 3).

Clearly, volunteersan unpaid workorce available to urther the

goals and to help meet an array o needs in resource-constrained

organizationsrepresent one o the critical competitive advan-

tages o the nonprot sector. And, while public-sector (and, to

a much lesser degree, even private-sector) organizations also

utilize volunteers, unpaid workers prolierate in the nonprot

sector, where an estimated 80 percent o organizations report the

use o volunteers in service capacities (Hager, 2004).

Despite the idiosyncratic role o volunteer involvement within the

nonprot sector, remarkably ew third-sector organizations possess the

knowledge to maximize this advantage. Equally ew nonprot deci-

sion-makers understand the basic constructs o volunteer engagement.

Likewise, many in top leadership positions do not know what they

might expect rom an engaged volunteer workorce, nor are they aware

o the critical importance o an inrastructure designed to acilitate and

support community engagement.

While executive directors o nonprot organizations

have grown accustomed to seeing their roles dened

in terms o leveraging tight resources, maximizing

community engagement, and advancing organiza-

tional growth and development, too ew have made

the connection between those goals and creating

an eective system or volunteer engagement. Yet

intentional planning and vision-setting rom the

top levels o nonprot leadership are required to

maximize volunteer participation; manage diversevolunteer interests and resources; acilitate produc-

tive relations among sta, volunteers, and clients;

protect nonprots against volunteer-related liabili-

ties; and ensure voluntary labor connects with orga-

nizations strategic goals. We oer here a ramework

and guidance or executive directors committed to

delivering positive outcomes or their organizations

through the eective utilization o volunteers.


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to Maximizing Volunteer Engagement

3

The Volunteer Impact Fund and the UPS Foundation made this

evidence-based Guide possible. The authors especially would like to

acknowledge the work o Betty Stallings o Building Better Skills. Her

earlier work in articulating the importance o executive directors com-

mitted to eective volunteer engagement helped to set the stage or this

publication. The Guide responds to some o the key concerns executive

directors (EDs) raise about volunteer involvement and is designed toexpand existing volunteer-resource initiatives. In addition, this Guide

provides resources or urther learning and space to explore your plan

or growing your volunteer workorce.

Volunteer Engagement: A Two-Way, Multiaceted Exchange

Traditional approaches to volunteer engagement oten ollow a

model something akin to what is captured in Figure 1.

Sometimes this process achieves its goals; more oten, the minimal

eort put in by nonprots results in minimal outcomes, meetingneither the needs o the organization nor those o the volunteers

involved. In the end, volunteers are requently blamed or the short-

comings, and, while the organization continues to publicly recite

the platitudes o community engagement, the truth is that volunteer

engagement is neither supported nor encouraged.

Five big challenges conront this model, each based on a particular

alse assumption.

While it is true that volunteers operate without receiving market-value

compensation or the work perormed, any serious organizational

initiativeo any typerequires a strategic vision and an outlay o

time, attention, and inrastructure. Someone needs to be assigned the

important task o overseeing the venture, o acilitating community in-

volvement, o preparing volunteers or the task at hand, o supporting

their ongoing involvement, and o thanking them or the time given.

The organization needs to know what it hopes to achieve and how that

end product will help meet the overall goals o the group. The orga-

nizations sta and leadership need to be committed to working with

volunteers and, in many cases, oered sta development opportuni-

ties to learn how to work well with the community. In short, a credibleeort needs a vision and plan, resources sucient to the task at hand,

and a dedicated, skilled, point person to assure that tasks run smoothly

and reach completion.

When it becomes apparent that eective volunteer engagement re-

quires an investment, especially a nancial investment, many non-

prot leaders hit a brick wall. Wont unders and board members

see it as cheating to investinree labor? On the surace, the two

Myth #1

Volunteers are ree.

Myth #2

You cant invest

in voluntary eorts.


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4

1. The nonprofit

recognizes it needsassistance to achieve

its mission

2. The agency as-

sesses its financial

resources and finds

them deficient

3. The leadership

(ED/board) assumes

volunteers free labor

requires little financial/

strategic investment

4. The nonprofit is-

sues a call and finds

volunteer(s) who may

or may not be qualified

for the task

5. A staff person may over-

see the volunteer effort, but

expectations, accountability,

& communication remain

unclear

6. When the effort achieves

little, volunteers receive theblame and are approached with

skepticism, if at all, the next

time their service is required

Figure 1The Cycle of Poorly Managed Volunteer Engagement

concepts appear antithetical. Complicating the matter is the issue o

return on investment, the holy grail o nancial decision-making.

Frequently, nonprots are willing to wrestle with the complex and

nuanced concerns o making their own services tangible, whether

protecting elders rom abuse, granting wishes to dying children, or

preserving green space in urban areas. But nding a way to concret-


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5

ize the processes involved in helpingand tying these processes to

outcome measuresstymies many nancial gurus and organiza-

tional leaders alike. Nonetheless, volunteer engagementis a pro-

cess, no dierent than und development or marketing: it connects

nonprots with mission-critical resources. Few question spending

money to raise money; spending money to raise people (a prerequi-

site to raising money) is just as necessary.

The model in Figure 1 suggests that the needs and motives o just

one party in the volunteer-nonprot relationship are important: the

needs o the organization to see a task completed. As such, it con-

trasts with the nonprot sectors approach to nearly any other com-

monly cultivated relationship, where two-way exchanges predomi-

nate. For example, relations between a nonprot organization and

its sta are characterized not only by the work sta contributes to

the organization but also by what the organization provides its em-

ployees (salaries, benets, proessional development, and the like).Similarly, relations with donors are characterized not only by the

input o the donors unds but also the organizations ongoing e-

orts to build a bridge with those donors. Clients, members, or con-

stituents play a role in helping a nonprot ulll its mission; they

receive in return products, services, and, oten, opportunities or in-

put into the organizations overall direction. Thus, only volunteers

receive the exceptionaland generally unproductivetreatment o

regardingtheirneed in return or entering into a relationship with a

nonprot as vaguely equating to the nonprots own needs (i.e., the

volunteer needs no more than whatever satisaction can be attained

in having helped you complete a task or meet a goal). What makes

the matter worse yet is that many volunteers never learn how their

eorts actually support the nonprot.

I the volunteers needs are considered within the equation at all,

it is oten rom a negative or punitive perspective. Executive direc-

tors report that they are not in the business o meeting the needs o

volunteers, that such a perspective can take away rom attention to

mission, and that any implication that nonprots should expend

eort considering the needs o volunteers only makes this commu-

nity resource less attractive in their eyes. Likewise, EDs report thatthey ear potential negative exchanges with a volunteer. What i the

volunteer doesnt work out or the agency and has to be removed

rom his or her appointed role? Erroneously assuming that volun-

teers cannot be red, nonprot leaders dread gettingstuck with

a poor worker or, worse yet, experiencing negative consequences

in the community. Such nightmare scenarios, regardless o their

basis in act, almost completely veil the potential value that may

Myth #3

Volunteers want

only what you want.

Myth #4

Meeting volunteers halway

is a recipe or trouble.


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6

be reaped rom a well-engaged volunteer base. Furthermore, such

concerns overshadow the act that productive and lasting relation-

ships o any type are built when organizations seek to understand

and meet the needs o the partner, whether that partner is a donor,

sta person, board member, or community volunteer.

The nal challenge with poorly managed volunteer engagement is itsoversimplication and tendency to silo away the possibilities inherent

in volunteers eorts. In many instances, the imagined task to be ul-

lled has certain predened characteristics that make nonprot leaders

view it as workorvolunteersseparate and, at times, lesser in value

than other work o the organization. Sectioning o volunteers work

rom other unctions o the organization may make or a streamlined

appearance in an organizational chart; however, it limits the scope o

a nonprots ability to leverage signicant community resources

particularly when volunteer work becomes dened only as that which

is rote or unappealing (or otherwise overlaps with tasks that sta eeloverqualied or or preer to avoid).

By contrast, diverse, multilayered volunteer engagement experiences

built on the abilities and interests o the volunteer, as they align with the

overriding mission and goals o the nonprot organizationcan address

a host o discrete purposes within an organization. First, organizational

leaders must learn to move beyond the stereotypes sometimes associated

with volunteers, those images o unthinking, low-level robots available or

any mindless task, and realize that the word volunteer connotes a pay

scale, not a unction. Volunteers manage archeological digs, train seeing-

eye dogs, serve as board members, manage city government, ght res,

and run nonprot organizations. What matters is the vision associated with

the idea o volunteers and volunteering. Imagining low-level unctionaries

with limited abilities will lead you to design jobs only or such a person.

On the other hand, envisioning a highly qualied artist painting a mural

in your hallway, or a CPA overseeing a restructuring o your accounting

systems, or a ropes instructor guiding your sta through a team building

exercise will likely lead you to create and ll a position or just such a per-

son with time and interest in service.

In act, todays volunteers oer nearly unlimited potential to thenonprot that is willing to move beyond these old myths. To

achieve this perspective, the Volunteer Champions Initiative or-

mulated The Volunteer Involvement Framework. The Framework

takes a broader view o volunteer engagement, considering both the

needs o the organization and trends in present-day volunteerism.

This perspective correlates the work that needs to be done in an or-

ganization with the management strategies needed to support that

Myth #5Volunteer work

is best defned as that

which sta wants no part o.


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7

work and combines it with the volunteers particular interests, mo-

tives, levels o commitment, and time availability. The Framework

provides a starting point or examining the organizations current

levels o involvement and creates a blueprint or planning or more

extensive community input.

The Volunteer Involvement FrameworkThe Volunteer Involvement Framework captures contemporary

themes in volunteer engagement and organizes this inormation or

prioritizing and decision-making purposes. The tooldeveloped

with assistance rom nonprot leadersenables executive-level

decision-makers to identiy their current volunteer engagement

practices, examine additional service possibilities, and identiy

appropriate stang and other management considerations. The

Framework guides executive directors as they analyze, plan, and

make decisions, providing a useul visual summary that helps or-

ganize strategic thinking about volunteer engagement. In short, theFramework examines the ull range o options available or creating

a volunteer engagement system tailored to meet the unique needs

o nonprot organizations.

The Framework is a simple two-by-two matrix. The horizontal connection

columns distinguish between the two predominate orientations o volunteers

currently in the market place. The irst o these is the ailiation-oriented volunteer.

This person gravitates to a service-opportunity in orderto associatehim or her sel

with eitherthe cause or with the mission or

purposeo the organization, orwith the

group or network o riends engaged in the

service. For this volunteer, the orientation

to the type o nonprot, or the riends

or colleagues with whom they will serve,

is o greater signicance then the type o

work being done. By contrast, the skill-

oriented volunteer, represented in the

column to the right, is a person who is

more likely to express an interest in or a

connection with the type o work perormed

as a volunteer. This person views the skillsthat he or she brings to service as para-

mount and wants to oer this specialized

expertise to the organization.

The vertical time dimension of the

matrix captures the persons availabil-

ity for service. The top row represents

The Volunteer Involvement FrameworkTM

TiMefor

service

epd

Lg-tm

connecTion To service

Afliation Focus Skill Focus


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8

a short-term service commitment. Short-term may indicate a short stint of

service (volunteering that occurs over a determined number of hours in one

day or weekend), or it may suggest a specific, time-limited focus, where the

volunteer signs on for a specific project that is limited in nature (although

the project may occur on an annual or some other recurring basis). This

volunteer is frequently called an episodic volunteer. The bottom row of the

framework represents the person who agrees to serve on a regular, ongoingbasis, potentially making a long-term service commitment.

In the sample Framework on the next page, each quadrant contains

examples o voluntary service that typiy that area o volunteer expe-

rience, ollowed by a synopsis o the more common traits and moti-

vations or service. Despite the boundaries below, its worth noting

that the Frameworks our quadrants are not mutually exclusive and

that some o the distinctions between them are fuid, fexible, and

permeable. A volunteer may elect to serve in all our ways over a

lietime. Likewise, an agency or organization will want to examine

opportunities or service within the organization that all within

each quadrant, thereby providing a maximum level o fexibility

when recruiting volunteers.

In the remainder o this Guide, the Framework serves as a basis or

conceptualizing a sustainable volunteer engagement program in

our stages:

Understandingvolunteermotivationsandtrends(looking at the re-

search on who volunteers are and what drives them)

Creatingavisionforvolunteerengagement(thinking broadly about

the our quadrants and how to plan or them)

Maximizingyourinvestmentinvolunteers(management/personnel

strategies and a process or moving rom vision to reality)

Minimizingchallengesandembracingopportunities(advice and

resources that address executive directors top concerns about

volunteer engagement).

Throughout the Guide and in the notes directly ollowing it, you

will nd resources to assist with urther development o your com-

munity engagement program, including online tools and assess-

ments. Additionally, Appendix A, which contains a worksheet or

you to make notes on your own organizations use o and/or plans

or volunteers, allows or customization o The Volunteer Involve-

ment Framework to meet your specic nonprots needs.


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9

Examples of Service: Corporatedaysofservicewithworkteams

Weekendhouse-buildbyalocalserviceclub

Parkclean-upeventortrailmaintenance

Workcrewforannualevent

Traits of Volunteers:

Strongsenseofconnectiontothecause,workgroup,club,

or organization.

Generallyexpectsawell-organizedevent(materialsand

instructions immediately available to perform task, etc.).

Maybeusingtheserviceopportunitytoinvestigatea

particular organization.

Maybepartofaservicegroupormeetingservicerequire-

ments of a school, workplace, or club. Mayhaveunrealistic/naiveexpectationsabouttheability

to impact clients or long-term work of the organization.

Mayprefertoidentifywiththeirservicecluborcompany

rather than the nonprofit being served.

Examples of Service: Aone-timeauditofanorganizationsfinancesbyaprofes-

sional accountant

Asportsclubteachingayouthgroupaparticularskilland

hosting youth for an event

Apersonopeninghis/herhomeforafundraiser

Astudentcompletingadegreerequirement.

Traits of Volunteer:

Seeksaserviceopportunitytailoredspecificallytoengage

the volunteers unique skill, talent, or resources.

Maybeanyage,althoughslightlymorelikelytobeadults

with higher levels of skills/education..

Likelyexpectsmutuality,i.e.,apeer-to-peerrelationship

within the organization (accountant to treasurer; event hostto ED; etc.)

Mayseektonegotiatetimingofservice.

Appreciatesrecognitionthatistailoredtotheunique

demands of the position.

Mayprefertothinkofselfnotasavolunteerbutan

intern, pro bono consultant, etc.

Examples of Service:

Youthmentor

Troopleader

SundaySchoolteacher

Environmentalsustainabilityadvocate

Hospicevisitor Parkhostordocent

Thriftstoremanager

Auxiliarymemberortrustee


Committedtothegroupororganizationandthecauseor

mission it represents.

Oftenwillingtoperformanytypeofworkforthecause,

from stuffing envelopes to highly sophisticated service

delivery.

Mayneedspecializedtrainingtopreparefortheservice

opportunity (e.g., literacy tutoring, etc.)

Mayfeelaspecialaffinitytotheorganizationbecause

of past benefit, family connection, or other personal al-

legiance.

Maybeanyage,althoughagemaysegmenttypeofcause

most likely championed.

Maybeideologicallymotivated(religious,political,environ-

mental, etc.) to champion a cause or issue.

Appreciatesregularrecognition,bothformalandinformal.

Oftenusespersonalpronounstotalkaboutorganization

(me, we, us, our)

Inadditiontostrongmotivationsforservice,maywellbea

key donor

Examples of Service:

Probonolegalcounsel

No-costmedicalservicebyaphysician,EMT,nurse,

counselor, etc.

Volunteerfirefighting

Loanedexecutive Boardmember


Similartothequadranttotheleftincommitment.

Generallypreferstocontributethroughskillsandtraining

they bring to the cause or organization.

Mayelecttocontributetalentsthroughspecializedservice

or may contribute their time through policy and leadership

roles such as board governance, visioning, etc.

Oftenexpectsvolunteermanagementthatreflectsthe

cultural norms of the given specialty or skill.

Oftencombinestheirtalentwithdedicationtothecause,

although the talent brought to the cause may supersede an

allegiance to the mission.

Mayhavehistoricaltiestotheorganizationorcauseand/

or may have a family member (or self) who has benefited

from the services of organization.

Expectsstaffsupport,assistancewithresourcesneces-

sary to the job, and recognition for work performed.


Overview of Types of Volunteers

TiMef

or

service

sht-tm

epd

Lg-tm

ogg




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10

Understanding Volunteer Motivations and Trends

Volunteerism is multiaceted. Not only do people serve or a mul-

titude o reasons, todays volunteers serve in a variety o ways and

with various expectations or the return on their investment o

energy and time. Additionally, not all people who serve without

expectation o remuneration gravitate to the term volunteer. Stu-dents may talk aboutinternships orcommunity service requirements.

Teachers may seekservice-learningopportunities in area nonprots.

Men tend to describe their service by the unctions they perorm

(coach, trustee), while women have historically been more connect-

ed to the term volunteer. Theological interpretations o service vary.

Some religiously motivated volunteers eel calledtoserve,while oth-

ers say theyre compelled to liveouttheirfaith and still others seek to

promotesocialjusticethrough service. Proessional associations may

talk aboutpublicinterestwork orprobono opportunities. The very act

o expanding the vocabulary associated with volunteer work opensup new ideas or envisioning service.

Research on volunteerism provides interesting insights (see Figure

2). Data rom the Bureau o Labor Statistics, U.S. Census Bureau,

and the Corporation or National and Community Service (CNCS)

indicate volunteering today is at a 30-year high (CNCS, 2006).

Older teenagers (16- to 19-year-olds, motivated by service-learning

opportunities and similar trends), retirees (over 65), and mid-lie

adults (45 and older) are ueling this growth. Together with other

volunteers, they constitute a workorce numbering nearly 61 mil-

lion, who give, on average, nearly our hours per week in charitable

service (Wing, Pollak, & Blackwood, 2008).

Some researchers nd even higher levels o engagement. For exam-

ple, according to Independent Sector, when allvolunteer involve-

ment is accounted ornot only in charitable organizations but

also in religious groups, schools, communities, and inormal neigh-

borhood groupsthe total unpaid labor contribution climbs even

higher (Independent Sector, 2001).Estimates o the value o vol-

unteer labor suggest the United States benets rom the equivalento $239 billion o unpaid sta time or the equivalent o a ull-time

workorce o 7.2 million employees (Wing, Pollak, & Blackwood,

2008). (For specic inormation about volunteering in your com-

munity, Volunteering in America oers excellent state- and city-level

data at its interactive website: www.VolunteeringInAmerica.gov).

Although motives or volunteering are as varied as the volunteers

Figure 2

Volunteering Facts

NumberofAmericanswhovolunteerregularly:

61 million

PercentageofAmericanswhovolunteer:27%

TotalhoursvolunteeredintheU.S.in2006:12.9 billion

Averagevolunteershoursofservicein2006:

207

Averagenumberofpeoplevolunteeringonany

givenday:15million

Source: The Nonprofit Almanac 2008


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11

themselves, numerous studies (Bureau o Labor Statistics, 2007;

Independent Sector, 2001;Musick,Rehnborg & Worthen, n.d.) have

ound a common denominator: being asked is one o the key

drivers or volunteerism, with adults and young people alike citing

it as among the top reasons they elected to volunteer or learned o

the opportunity in the rst place. Another primary driver or volun-

teers is aliation with a cause or belie systemsuch as the desireto make a dierence, to support a particular organizations work,

a religious sense o obligation, or simply wanting to give back.

Others are motivated by external aliation-relation incentives, such

as a desire to meet others, to be part o a team, to ulll a youth-

service requirement, or to meet the membership requirements o a

service club. Finally, evidence suggests a growing number o volun-

teers are driven by an interest in learning a new skill, the desire to

maintain skills while temporarily stepping out o the job market,

the desire to explore a career opportunity or using skills theyve

developed over a lietime (Musick & Wilson, 2008).

Each o these distinct motives refects trends in society and in vol-

unteerism at large. Volunteers continue to be more well-educated,

more likely to have amilies, and more socially connected than the

population as a whole. They also have distinct interests and needs.

For example:

Episodicvolunteeropportunities:Those with limited time but an

interest in doing service on a temporary basis are being drawn to

events such as day-long house-builds with Habitat or Human-

ity, community park trail maintenance days, or special vacations

eaturing volun-tourism away rom home.

Servicelinkedtotheprivatesector:Corporations and business

groups, working to bolster their community involvement, do so

by participating in programs to adopt a school or stretch o

highway, complete a day o service, create technological brain

trusts or nonprots in need, or encourage employees to join sel-

guided hands-on service opportunities, oten acilitated by a local

volunteer center or United Way.

Youthandstudentservice: Students competing to build their re-

sumes and enhance their college applications are motivated to

help their communities, requently spending long hours in un-

paid internships, engaging in service-learning, or participating in

service clubs and youth groups.

Opportunitiesforthosewhohaveleftthelaborforce:The most edu-


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12

cated group o retirees in historyas well as the growing num-

ber o adults having children later in lie, who may have let the

workorce temporarily but seek to apply their knowledge in giv-

ing backare increasingly available to devote their skills, time,

and resources to volunteering.

Virtualvolunteerwork:While we generally think o volunteeringdone in-person, on-site, todays technologically inclined volun-

teers also nd ways to contribute service via the internet. These

virtual volunteers, like persons appearing at the oce, may be

willing to perorm a one-time service (e.g., revise an organiza-

tions website) or to sign on or an extended time commitment,

such as serving as an online mentor.

From all these trends emerges a picture o a service sector inundated

with available talent, labor, and opportunity, available to any orga-

nizational leader savvy enough to capture this workorce and capi-talize on that which drives their service. Understanding the chang-

ing ace o volunteers in America, as well as the top motivations

or volunteering, provides an essential oundation or applying the

Volunteer Involvement Framework strategically to maximize vol-

unteer contributions.


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13

Developing a Vision or Volunteer Engagement

Identiying who volunteers is only one step o a larger process

a process that, in act, does notbegin with recruiting volunteers.

Instead, the process begins with an internal assessment and analysis

o your organization. Giving orethought to how and where volun-

teers t within your organizations larger mission, and how a visionor volunteer engagement ts with other strategic goals, creates a

solid oundation or success. What ollows is a template or plan-

ning or or reassessing your volunteer-engagement strategy. [For a

more detailed accounting o executive leadership in volunteerism,

see Susan Elliss FromtheTopDown:TheExecutiveRoleinVolunteer

ProgramSuccess(Energize, Inc.: Philadelphia; 1996), which served

as an important source in the development o this Guide.]

An important precursor to vision-setting is an examination o bi-

ases. Nonprot leaders sometimes get stuck in modes o thinkingthat limit the possibilities o volunteers within their organizations.

A key ground rule or guiding your analysis is to remember that

therearenotasksvolunteerscannotdo. A person with the requisite

skills, abilities, licenses, training, and time can perorm any job.

Medical personnel volunteer their time at clinics perorming all the

duties ascribed by their training; attorneys perorm pro bono work

on a regular basis; trained community members serve as reghters,

auxiliary police, and poll workers without pay; some nonprots are

run by ull-time, nonsalaried executive directors. The list is endless.

While it is certainly true that ew people have this level o extended

time to contribute, the act is that a person may do any job, and per-

orm equally to those with a salary, on a volunteer basisprovided

an organizations leadership is open to such limitless possibilities.

Likewise, peoplefromallwalksoflifevolunteer.Overlooking any seg-

ment o the community unnecessarily closes a door to possible

volunteers. Keep in mind that some o the nations most active

volunteers include senior citizens, not to mention the contributions

o people with disabilities, people with limited incomes, parents o

young children, and even children themselvesany o whom may

be willing to serve in a variety o capacities, rom hands-on ront-

line assistance to policy development and board service. When it

comes to working with young volunteers, child labor laws do not

preclude young people rom volunteering (Ellis, Weisbord, & Noy-

es, 2003), so nonprots requently engage even elementary students

in age-appropriate endeavors on behal o organizations. Research

tells us that young people, particularly those who volunteer with

members o their amily, become lielong volunteers (Rehnborg,

Step 1

Begin with an open mind.


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14

et. al., 2002; Musick & Wilson, 2008).Thus, engaging amilies and

youth can help provide you with a vital community resource or

years to come.

Comprehensive community engagement initiatives benet greatly

rom the input and active planning o your key stakeholders and

sta. One o the best ways to prevent resistance to volunteers is toinclude sta and board members in the planning process rom the

beginning. Do not eel like you alone must develop and construct

a compelling vision to build an eective program. Including sta

in your planning enables your employees to explore the nuances

o service and helps to prepare them to expand their reach through

volunteers. And, board members, themselves volunteers, may ail to

see the connection between their type o governance or policy vol-

unteering and the more direct-service opportunities oered to other

volunteers. The planning process acts as an exercise in sta/board

development, leading these key stakeholders to begin thinking stra-tegically about volunteers, to articulate a shared language around

community engagement, and to explore how volunteers t within

the organizations core values and mission. Thus, engagement be-

comes not just about the community outside o your organization,

but also an exercise in building internal community, as well.

Because volunteer engagement does not exist in a vacuum, plans

or community involvement should be integrated within the ex-

isting strategic plan or your organizations uture direction. The

most important question to ask when contemplating a community

engagement initiative is Whatistheworkthatmustbedonetoachieve

themissionandgoalsofourorganization?Asking this question en-

sures that volunteer opportunitiesftwithin the overall objectives

o the organization and the plan or moving orward. Additionally,

the question benets volunteers, who surely care whether their time

and talents make a dierence. Volunteers thrive when they can see

that the work they perorm is central to the organization: work that

impacts the organizations bottom lineits mission.

Once youve reviewed your strategic direction and committed to

holding those goals in mind, any one o the ollowing methods canhelp your planning team get started in creating a specic vision or

volunteer involvement.

Brainstorming

This group process combines the creativity o all to generate new

and creative ideas or involving the community in reaching your

mission. The basic rule o brainstorming is that any and all ideas

Step 2

Include sta and board

in the process.

Step 3

Take stock o where you are

and where you hope to go.


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15

are worth considering: everyone on the planning team should

be open to the idea that no limits exist to the potential work o

volunteers and that nothing said will be ruled out entirely. The

acilitator should encourage the group to be creative, even daring

(keeping in mind, todays high-powered retirees, stay-at-home

parents, etc. are eager or creative challenges). Posing a question

or all to respond to (e.g., What work needs to be done to meetthe goals and objectives o this

agency? What additional services

do our clients want and need?)

helps initiate the brainstorming pro-

cess. One person acts as a recorder,

keeping a list o all the answers o-

ered to the question about service

opportunities or volunteers. The

process also allows people to build

upon and expand on the ideas oothers. Once the list is complete,

the acilitator brings the process to

completion by guiding the group

through an exercise to weigh and

prioritize the various opportunities

generated.

Visualmapping

Much like brainstorming, a visual map can be developed by

asking your group to visualize the optimal participation o vol-

unteers in your organization at some point (5 years? 10 years?)

in the uture. To set the stage, you would ask your participants

to assume that resources were unlimited and sucient space is

available. Given this scenario what would your ideal organiza-

tion look like? How would sta and clients benet? How would

each unction o the organization be changed? Diagram or sketch

these visions on a large backdrop that everyone can see. Then

work backwards and determine where the organization would

have to begin to make this desired uture a reality. Be sure that

someone captures all the ideas presented.

Needsanalysis

Originally developed by Dr. Ivan Scheier more than 30 years ago,

the Need Overlap Analysis in the Helping Process (NOAH) is a

tool that is as useul today as it was when rst promoted (Scheier,

1975). The NOAH system begins with sta members (led by the

executive director, who also participates) completing a laundry

list o each persons total job duties and responsibilities. Once


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16

the task lists are developed, each sta participant next develops

a wish list o additional activities they would like to be able to

tackle, i time and resources permitted. Finally, each person culls

through these lists to assess which activities would conceivably

benet rom volunteer involvement. Through subsequent inter-

views with potential volunteers, these lists can be extended to

include the skills, interests, and abilities o the volunteer. Aterdiscussing the possibilities, prioritize and decide how to translate

activities targeted or volunteer involvement into reality. Service

opportunities that combine the interests and needs o volunteers,

sta, and clients are most ideal; however, collaborative eorts be-

tween volunteers and sta or between volunteers and clients may

prove benecial as well. (Although no longer in print, an online

version o the ull NOAH process can be ound at www.service-

leader.org.)

Practice wisdom tells us that there are our keys to making a planor system operational: a vision that guides the plan; clear targets or

progress (i.e., goals and objectives or action); a qualied person

responsible or overseeing the plan; and the allocation o nancial

resources to support the plan.

The vision or the plan emerged through your planning process. As

you examined opportunities or community engagement, you and

your planning committee identied ideas that t the needs and

concerns o your organization. You might look back at that stage

o development and see i any underlying themes or ideas emerged

that guided your decision-making. Capturing those concerns suc-

cinctly, and raming them into a guiding vision or philosophy is im-

portant. This guiding vision should be developed into a strategy or

mission statement or community engagement, or some other brie

document that is circulated and made widely available. This docu-

ment will guide your eorts and serve as a touchstone when impor-

tant decisions need to be made.

From that statement o vision, a set o clear goals to achieve should

fow naturally. By creating measurable statements o intent, includ-

ing short-term objectives and long-term anticipated outcomes, theplanning committee will dene the nature o the work to be accom-

plished. This also will present an opportunity or sta and board to

weigh in with a reality check: where will the resources come rom to

support these objectives? Who will shepherd the civic-engagement

initiative through its various stages? Appendix B captures a sche-

matic o work involved in developing a comprehensive volunteer

system. Your initiative may be more modest than the one presented

Step 4

Move rom vision

to logistical reality.


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in the schematic, however, it does outline the sequential nature o

the work and the details involved.

Selecting a point person to guide the volunteer engagement eort is

critical, ensuring it becomessomeones responsibility to move your

plan to action. This person may be you. I not you, it will need to

be someone who enjoys your ull support and assistance as thisnew venture takes shape. Additionally, it will need to be a person

who has been given the time to undertake the work. Eective com-

munity engagement programseven small eortstake time. To

be eective in this role your point person must either be engaged

to take on this eort or be relieved o other duties so that he or she

can invest the time necessary to achieve the important end results.

Finally, your action plan should include a budget, inclusive o not

only the dollars but other costs to your organization o working

with volunteers. These may include sta time, acilities, supplies,and equipment required to acilitate involvement. Weigh how your

nonprot will accommodate the act that increased numbers o vol-

unteers equates to increased numbers o people in your organiza-

tionpeople who take up space, oten need to use computers, may

want to drink coee, and will want to park their cars. Such creature

comorts alone wont attract volunteers to your nonprot, but the

absence o them can assuredly lead to poor volunteer retention. Ad-

ditionally, you will need to decide appropriate lines o communica-

tion, set up databases, and determine appropriate screening proce-

dures. Touching on these types o logistics with the planning team

before embarking on a new volunteer recruitment initiative can save

numerous headaches down the road.

Where model program or volunteers exist, its worth exploring op-

portunities or replication in systems, approaches, training, and more.

Consider looking or examples o volunteer engagement rom among

other nonprots in your community or issue area, particularly those

that have achieved successes with volunteers. Such benchmarking

could set up opportunities or collaboration, while also preventing

your organization rom reinventing the wheel i an existing template

ts within your agencys needs. The text box on page 19 illustrates oneexecutive directors success with creating a vision or volunteer engage-

ment out o just such a benchmarking experience.

Additionally, be aware that your organizations sta will seek a

template or volunteer engagement, as well. It may be necessary to

dedicate some proessional development and training time to this

topic, or sta may simply look to you, the nonprot leader, to mod-

Step 5

Benchmark others

successes with volunteers.


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el eective volunteer involvement. Your leadership can model your

commitment to the plan i you give your sta an opportunity to

witness rsthand how youwork with volunteers. Sta will perceive

not only what working with volunteers may require o them (invest-

ments o time, certain behavioral modications, etc.) but also the

potential payos or taking work with volunteers seriously.

Setting up metrics to evaluate the success o your community en-

gagement eorts can prove complex, but several tools exist to pro-

vide support. These metrics can help your organization determine

whether the anticipated outcomes o the volunteer engagement

initiative were met and provide the data that will make the case or

continued support or your eorts to board members, unders, and

other stakeholders.

Quantitativemeasures

Databases can be programmed to track not only the number ovolunteers in your agency and their hours spent in service, but

also whether their service correlates with other outcomes im-

portant to your organization. (For example, Are they raising the

public prole o your organization? Are they donating, attend-

ing events, or becoming members, in addition to giving their

time? Have you been able to serve more clients or provide more

eective or comprehensive service because o volunteers? Has

volunteers service enabled you to secure matching cash contri-

butions rom their employers contingent on hours o service?

Have they reerred others to your nonprot? Have they increased

their service over time or begun serving your organization in new

capacities, perhaps making the shit rom episodic volunteers to

ongoing volunteers, or adding new skills within the time they

give? Have they opened doors with unders or other potential do-

nors?) Such metrics can become part o your agency dashboard,

something you see and reer to regularly in sta meetings, board

discussions, and annual reports.

Financialmeasures

Another quantitative approach is to determine the organizations

return on investment, by placing a value on volunteers time.Several methods or this exist (e.g., comparing the work to its

average wage in the marketplace, accounting or the opportunity

cost o volunteers time, etc.). Resources or conducting volunteer

valuation can be ound online at www.rgkcenter.org/investigator,

including an article, Placing a Value on Volunteer Time, (2005)

that outlines several tools available to nonprot leaders.

Step 6

Decide how youll

measure success.


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Qualitativemeasures

Scheduling exit interviews or ater-action reports with volunteers

who have completed a signicant project or service commitment

enables you to learn more about their experience. Meet with sta

supervisors or board members engaged in the action to process

the outcomes, and think about surveying your volunteers periodi-

cally or holding casual ocus groups to garner their input. Reportvolunteer involvement successes and highlight accomplishments

in your organizational newsletter, reports to unders, website

content, and elsewhere, and clip press reports about your orga-

nization, watching or the presence o volunteers. Community

involvement oten helps to garner positive attention in the com-

munity and provides positive PR or your nonprot.

Envisioning a Place or Volunteers

During a perect storm o organiza-tional crises at the Austin ChildrensMuseum, Mike Nellis stepped intothe role o executive director. Notonly did the organization ace theimpending loss o its lease and theneed or a new capital campaignand building, it also struggled withinternal strie at various levels, roma board o directors in transition,to a conrontation-prone sta, to adisengaged pool o volunteers. Muchabout the organization elt adrit,with hardly any room or volunteersin an organization that, at the time,had no home o its own.

Ater conducting an organizationalassessment amid these challenges,identiying strategies or movingorward, and starting anew in acentral downtown location, Nellisand the Childrens Museum madea call he has never regretted: to paymuch more attention to the place o

volunteers in advancing the organi-zations goals.

In years past, volunteer coordina-tion had allen under the umbrellao the museums und developmentdepartment, with the thinking thatperhaps volunteers key unctionlay in their capacity as committed,potential donors. This tactic, Nelliswryly notes, didnt work very well.

He adds, Previously, the ChildrensMuseum had an internal culture obelieving volunteers were meant tobe cultivated as donors and, other-wise, were sometimes more pain thantheyre worth.

Nellis set about changing that culture:by having the volunteer coordinatordirectly report to him, by asking high-level sta to model productive rela-tions with interns and other volun-teers, and by pursuing a grant to allowthe Childrens Museum to benchmarka sophisticated volunteer-engagementprogram in another city. I saw hugepotential to use volunteers to improvequality o service, Nellis says. Nowinstead o oering just eel-good op-portunities, we have olks working ina way thats mutually benecial to ourorganization and to the volunteer.

The organizations new system or vol-unteer engagement, based on a model

originated at the New York Hall oScience, creates lielong opportunitiesor connection to the museums work:as young user, junior volunteer(elementary-aged museum-camp at-tendant), counselor-in-training (high-school camp leader), college student,and proessional industry expert. Thisscience career ladder or volun-teers mirrors the opportunities orproessional development, training,

networking, and advancement theAustin Childrens Museum makesavailable to its own sta.

The goal, Nellis explains, isto create a seamless integrationbetween paid and unpaid workers.At the ront end, this takes a lot oworka lot o training, education,checking in, and making sure volun-teers are having a great experience.But the value is that volunteerscontributions are able to match thato sta on the foor. Were seriousabout the work we do, and we wantour volunteers to be serious, too.

Participants in the science careerladder join a complement o back-oce volunteers who assist withadministrative components o themuseums work, creating a biurca-tion between volunteers who workdirectly with kids and those whodont. As a result, volunteers now

have a dened place in the mu-seums operations and are identiedas key players on the agencys orga-nizational chart. We use volunteersas extensions o our sta, Nellissays. Weve ound, i we can en-hance the meaning o the experienceor the volunteer, services to visitorsare enhanced in the process.


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Maximizing The Volunteer Investment

Just as thoughtul, careul planning is necessary or any level o

volunteer involvement, so, too, are resources to do the job, includ-

ing unds and sta time. Numerous studies have ound thatree

labor, notwithstandingthe old adage you get what you pay orap-

plies to volunteer programs (Adalpe, et. al.; 2006; The GrantmakerForum on Community and National Service, 2003; Rehnborg, et.

al., 2002; Hager, 2004). The bottom line is this: the more energy

and resources nonprots expend in community engagement initia-

tives, the greater their return on the investment.

The level and extent o your volunteer engagement initiative deter-

mines your stang complement. Utilizing The Volunteer Involve-

ment Framework grid, we will examine the traits o each quadrant

and the resultant management recommendations. Keep in mind

that volunteer engagement initiatives that span the grid will requiregreater levels o management resources.

A Question o Management and Stafng

Making the decision to hire a new person on either a ull- or part-

time basis is always complex and requires careul analysis. Because

volunteers generally work or no pay, many nonprots initially as-

sume that the leadership o the program can also be secured with-

out a paycheck. In her excellent treatment o the subject o when to

pay or help and when to engage volunteers or a task, Ellis notes

that, while volunteers qualications can be equal to or beyond that

o sta in every way, providing a paycheck serves our critical unc-

tions: Oering a salary gives the agency a predetermined number

o work hours per week, the right to dictate the employees work

schedule, a certain amount o control over the nature and priorities

o the work to be done, and continuity(1996, p.12). Thus, han-

dling a signicant workorce o volunteers (and especially i those

volunteers serve over a long period o time and perorm highly

skilled work) likely requires the sort o availability and commit-

ment than an organization usually nds in a paid sta member.

Once the commitment has been made to hire or the position, some

executive directors look to ll a volunteer-manager opening rom

within the ranks o existing volunteers. The underlying assumption,

that someone committed to serving your nonprot would welcome

the opportunity to come on board in exchange or a paycheck, some-

times misunderstands the challenges inherent in moving rom beinga

volunteer to managingother volunteers. Having a clear job description,

laying out the necessary skills and aptitudes o the job, will allow you


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Necessary Volunteer Manager Traits: Goodprojectleaderwithsolidplanningandproject-man-

agement skills, attention to detail

Stronginterpersonalskills:diplomatic,flexible,andacces-

sible

Shouldbeagoodspokespersonforthecause:knowl-

edgeable and passionate

Hastimetointerfacewithgroupliaisons

Other considerations:

Collectcontactinformationonvolunteerstofollow-upwith

other service and giving opportunities.

Considerrotatingmanagementtaskamongexistingstaff

members who meet qualifications (but be sure at least one

person is maintaining oversight, centralized records). Budgetadequatefundsforproject-relatedresources

including refreshments for work groups and possible

recognition memorabilia.

Necessary Volun teer Manager Traits : Stronghumanresourcesskills,respectforvolunteerand

job-sculpting expertise

Marketingskillstoleadtargetedrecruitmenteffort;should

be able to tell the organizations story, and to relate the

specific task to your mission

Flexible,withwillingnesstoadaptaprojecttothevolun-

teers expectations and time constraints

Openandavailableforfollow-upandabletomonitor

progress collaboratively


Thesevolunteersexpecttobetreatedasrespected

equals, not as subordinates.

Nonprofitshouldbeopentosharingrelevantinformationas the volunteer gains knowledge of the agency, earns

trust, and prepares for the task.

Necessary Volunteer Manager Traits:

Hassignificanttimetodevotetovolunteers

Isknowledgeableaboutoverallorganizationanditsfuture

direction

Hasstronginterpersonalandorganizationalskillsand

genuinely likes people

Continuityofleadershipandinstitutionalhistoryhelpful

Other considerations: Thesevolunteersrequireacomprehensivevolunteerinfra-

structure(e.g.,dedicatedstaffpersonwithnotlessthan20

hours per week dedicated to working with volunteers).

Budgettocovernecessaryprogramexpenses(e.g.,volun-

teer expense reimbursement, regular recognition, etc.)

Necessary Volun teer Manager Traits :

Usuallythemanagementpersonmostcloselyaligned

with volunteers (or volunteer committees) skill area must

oversee work


Aswithquadranttotheleft,dedicateconsiderableinfra-

structure to support these efforts (including necessary time

and attention of ED and/or board members). Timeshouldbeallocatedforpersonalstaffinteractions

with the skilled volunteer to support volunteers efforts and

to learn from their observations.

Mechanismstokeepthevolunteer(s)intheorganizational

informational loop and resources to assure an appropriate

work station, expense reimbursement, and recognition are

critical.


Consideration for Managing Volunteers

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to assess candidates accordingly. An excellent resource on volunteer

management, which includes sample job descriptions or the position,

can be ound on Idealist.org in their Volunteer Management ResourceCenter section. See http://www.idealist.org/en/vmrc/index.html.

Position justication is a concern requently raised by executive

directors. As noted earlier, it is no more inappropriate to hire a

volunteer manager than it is to hire a und development director

or marketing manager (see Myth 2, on page 4). Historically, most

nonprot organizations emerged rom the work o a committed


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group o volunteers who championed a cause. As the work grew, the

ounding board sought unds to hire a leader or the organization, a

person with the time and the expertise needed to take the group to

its next level o unctioning: the executive director. The same ratio-

nale applies to the position o volunteer manager. I you truly seek

to maximize the contribution o volunteers, your investment in this

eort will deliver gains equal to your investment and your eorts. Thetextbox on the next page oers an illustrative example o how creative

volunteer management can maximize nonprot investment in volun-

teers. Additionally, the questions in Appendix C are designed to help

you as you deliberate about hiring a volunteer manager.

Building Capacity through Volunteer Management

When Suki Steinhauser stepped into therole o chie executive ocer at Com-munities in Schools (CIS), a dropout-

prevention program in Central Texas,she knew that her predecessor, thenonprots ounding CEO and leader o18 years, had provided her with manyingredients or success. Having nurturedrelationships with dozens o educatorsand unders and built the systems toput licensed social service proessionalsat more than 50 school campuses, theormer CEO had provided a recipe orstable services to benet tens o thou-sands o children and youth.

What Steinhauser added to this mixwas something she calls her se-cret sauce: a new hire in volunteermanagement, whose support made itpossible or CIS to involve more than600 new volunteers in her rst yearalone, ostering a committed team ocommunity advocates or CIS.

Prior to the creation o the directoro volunteer services and commu-nity partnerships position, CIS had

operated with support rom approxi-mately 350 volunteers annually, allo them board members, Ameri-Corps members, interns, tutors, ormentors. Each o these roles serveda key unction, yet all required asignicant time commitment romvolunteers, as well as a willingnessto adhere to CISs training, vetting,and match requirements. Stein-hauser and Alissa Magrum, the new

director o volunteer services andcommunity partnerships, envisionedadding depth to existing services by

creating new avenues or volunteeringthat would attract more communitymembers who shared CISs goal odropout prevention.

Working with kids in poverty is a casewhere the more services you can give,the greater the payo, Steinhausersays. One o the rst things Alissa wasable to do was connect with our eldsta at each o our campuses and ndout what other needs they had, beyondwhat tutors and mentors provided.

Numerous issues suraced: campusoces hobbled by worn and dilapi-dated urniture, outdated computers,and dull paint; resource-strappedchildren who lacked school sup-plies to start the academic year right;high-achievers rom CISs aterschoolprograms who had gone unrecog-nized or their hard work. In responseto each o these challenges and more,Magrum mobilized a series o com-

munity engagement initiativesextreme makeover corporate days oservice to remodel campus oces, acommunity wide school-supply drive,a volunteer-driven annual recogni-tion celebration to honor outstandingstudentseach o which ultimatelyserved the agencys mission.

Today, Steinhauser credits volunteersnot only with providing us with the

capacity to do more, more cre-atively but with raising the proleo CIS in Central Texas. The CEO

believes the volunteer coordination,made possible by her investmentin dedicated sta, created public-relations ramications or CIS thatwould otherwise have been unimagi-nable. So much o what we do isdirect service, embedded within theschools, but we also have a duty todo advocacy in the community,she notes. The more volunteerswe bring in, the more advocates wehave with the exposure to what oth-erwise is an invisible organizationbehind school doors. Steinhauserpoints to the example o one youngproessional volunteer who stas alegislative oce in Austin and whoseservice has helped educate herandher elected-ocial bossabout theregions dropout problem.

Steinhauser emphasizes that adaptingto volunteers schedules, while align-ing volunteers activities with directneeds o the organization in service

o its mission, has opened a world opossibilities. I somebody has a greatexperience with the school suppliesdrive, maybe theyll decide to becomea middle school mentor, or their childwill grow up to want to be one o ourAmeriCorps members, she explainswith a smile. You just never knowwhen a volunteer comes through yourdoor, i they have a good experience,what else can come your way.


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Minimizing Challenges, Embracing Opportunities

Few volunteer leaders will openly cast aspersions on the dedication

o volunteers or the virtues o community involvement, yet benign

acceptance can also mask serious reservations, i not outright hostil-

ity, towards volunteers. This section o the Guide addresses some

o the more common issues in volunteer engagement, presentingsome o the challenges and opportunities inherent in community-

engagement activities.

The opportunities, challenges, and liability considerations or

service projects within each o the quadrants are captured in the

Framework on the next page. Although the concerns vary by the

dimensions o the quadrant, a ew considerations are universal.

Liability

In todays litigious society, nonprot organizations need to becareul, thoughtul, and thorough in any project they undertake,

ensuring proper consideration o risk management and liability.

Although a thorough risk assessment analysis is beyond the scope

o this Guide, nonprots would be well advised to exercise or vol-

unteers the same caution advocated or client care and general sta

protection or positions o equal responsibility. A well-managed

program should include up-to-date records and well-documented

personnel les, noting all trainings attended and reerence checks

conducted, as well as the results o these reerence checks. In addi-

tion, a comprehensive community engagement program should in-

clude a policies and procedures document that outlines regulations

pertaining to volunteer/client contact within and outside o the

work setting; expectations or uses o personal vehicles and levels o

personal insurance required i client transportation is anticipated;

procedures on how to handle injuries received during the course o

service; and any other guidelines that you would institute or sta

serving in similar positions. A comprehensive orientation to volun-

teer work provides an opportunity to share this inormation with

volunteers.

Insurance is available or volunteers operating within the regulations o

a ormal organization. The low cost o this coverage suggests the rela-

tive saety o such undertakings; nonetheless, an exploration o avail-

able options is important. For an example o such coverage, see http://

www.cimaworld.com/htdocs/volunteers.cm. Intermediary organiza-

tions or nonprots and large nation organizations with numerous

aliates requently oer support and inormation about liability and

risk management as it pertains to volunteer involvement. Another par-


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ticularly useul resource or nonprot organizations is the Nonprot

Risk Management Center, based in Leesburg, Virginia, which oers a

host o reerences and useul articles (http://nonprotrisk.org/library/

articles/insurance052004.shtml).

While precautions and risk assessment are wise, overestimating the

risk associated with volunteers can create undue burdens. It is gen-erally unnecessary to do criminal background checksor even re-

erence checksor most volunteers participating in one-time group

events or in positions unrelated to contact with vulnerable clients.

Allow the complexity o the assigned task to dictate which risk

management measures you take, and drop any that add unnecessary

bureaucracy and obstacles to service. As always, however, check with

your agencys legal counsel or insurance provider to determine the

right line o action or your organization.

Record-KeepingEective nonprot management includes accounting or and support-

ing the agencys volunteers. Each volunteers involvement serving your

organization should be a matter o record. Set up the organizations

database and paperwork so that records o volunteer involvement not

only capture the inormation to protect you against liability concerns

but also to provide the data you need in evaluating the success o your

program. (For support in developing recordkeeping systems, see Ellis

and Noyes 2003 publication, Proo Positive.)

What inormation you record about volunteers service will depend

not only on the requirements o the organization, but also those

o the volunteer and your agencys stakeholders. For example, a

student ullling an educational requirement (service-learning or

course requirement) or volunteering to meet licensure requirements

or a particular proession will require certain codication o his

involvement in your organization. Additionally, insurance carriers

may require particular data-keeping practices to cover your volun-

teer in the event o injury. Funders may accept volunteer service as

part o a match requirement and sometimes have their own report-

ing requirements on volunteer involvement.

Dismissal

While it true that occasionally volunteers do not work out, such

problems are ortunately rare! A well-managed program is the best

prevention rom contentious volunteer relationships. When volun-

teers have well-developed position descriptions, have been capably

screened, oriented and trained or the position they will ulll, and

are given adequate sta support and recognition, programs gener-


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Opportunities: Canhelppromoteorganization,spreadmessage,and

build mailing list.

Idealforaccomplishingshort-term,intensiveworkto

grounds or building.

Mayuseindatabaseforadvocacy,fundraising,orvolun-

teer recruitment.

Challenges:

Notalwayspossibletoprovideclient-orientedservice.

Considerableadvanceplanningrequiredtoassurethat

materials are available for large-scale service projects.

Requiresflexiblescheduleforstaffleadership.

Liability:

Dependentonserviceprojectselected;besttonotifyinsur-

ance carrier of the date. Mayrequireaneventrideronagencypolicy.

Opportunities: Greatwaytosecureimportantassistancenototherwise

available.

Idealtraininggroundformoreintensiveservice(e.g.,

committee, taskforce, or board work, as well as work in

quadrant below).

Worthyadditiontoagencydatabase.

Mayuseserviceopportunitytoevaluatepersonforpos-

sible employment.

Challenges:

Poorlyhandledserviceopportunitymayharmreputationof

organization.

Projectpreparationcanbetime-consuming,mayrequire

considerable upfront support.

Ifaninternship,mayrequiresupervisorwithsametrainingbackground.

Maybeacoverforajobsearch.Ifunemployedandfinds

a job, may leave volunteer assignment unfinished.

Liability:

Dependentonserviceproject;investigateneedforap-

propriate background check.

Opportunities:

Strongmission-based,consequentialoutcomeslikely.

Worthyadditiontoagencydatabase.

Mechanismsforvolunteerinputstronglyrecommended,as

can improve programs.

Capable,informedadvocatesfororganization.Challenges:

Volunteersmaybecomeover-investedinworkoforgani-

zation and make demands.

Effectiveimplementationtime-consuming.

Ongoingoversightimportant;dedicatedvolunteerman-

agement staff recommended.

Staffbuy-inessential.

Volunteersneedtobegivenavoiceinorganizationsop-

erations that affect them, informed of important changes,

and updated on progress on key objectives.

Liability:

Checkrequirementsforappropriatebackgroundchecks.

Shouldbeperformedifvolunteerworkswithvulnerable

clients.

Shouldcarrysomeformofliabilitypolicy.

Mayneedtooffermileageorotherformsofexpense

reimbursement.

Opportunities:

Highperformereagertofurtherorganizationswork.

Bringscriticalskillsettomeetagencysneeds.

Strongrepresentativeinthecommunity,likelytobean

able advocate.

Mayprovetobeanablerecruiterororientationleaderfornew volunteers.

Maybeanearlyretireeeagertobemeaningfullyinvolved.

Ifnotontheboard,maybeconsideredforboardposition.

Challenges:

Volunteermayneedcareandattentionincludingdedicated

workstationandcomputeranddirectlinetoCOO/ED.

Otherstaffandvolunteersmustbeknowledgeableabout

this persons role and open to engaging this person in

deliberations that will affect the given area of work.

Generallyspeaking,therearemorevolunteerseagerfor

these types of assignments then there are nonprofits ready

to engage them.

Mayperceivethathe/shecanfixtheagency.

Liability:

Ifbehaviorsproveproblematic,mayrequireformalhonor

and retirement to move individual out of service.

ShouldstronglyconsiderDirectorsandOfficersInsurance.


Weighing Opportunities, Challenges, and Risks

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ally run smoothly. However, it is true that, once in a while, a volun-

teer may need to be dismissed. (Yes,volunteerscanbered!)

As with sta, this situation is never pleasant, in spite o its periodic

necessity. Some excellent online resources provide detailed inorma-

tion about the process o dismissing volunteers (Rehnborg, 2005;

McCurley, 1993). They are available online at:http://www.serviceleader.org/new/managers/2005/07/000270.php

http://www.casanet.org/program-management/volunteer-manage/fre.htm

Problem volunteers should not be tolerated, nor should the pros-

pects o this problem deter you rom engaging volunteers in the rst

place. Many situations where volunteers stray rom expected pro-

tocol are motivated more by ignorance than intent. In the process

o gathering the inormation that appears in this Guide, an execu-

tive director told o a situation where her nonprot organization

accidentally inherited the problem volunteer o a sister agency.When the aberrant behaviors commenced at the new agency, the

ED brought the volunteer in to discuss the situation. The genuinely

shocked volunteer had mistaken assumed that her behavior was

what was expected, and she was mortied to learn that she had

been such a cause or concern. The woman grew to become one o

the new agencys most critical supporters and strongest workers

not its greatest nemesis. Yes, volunteers can be dismissed, but vol-

unteers also need to receive the courtesy o attention and redirec-

tion beore drastic measures are taken.

Volunteer/Sta Ratios

There are no specic rules o thumb that determine a standard vol-

unteer/sta ratio, or that trigger when a volunteer manager needs

to go rom a hal-time to a ull-time position. Likewise, volunteer

hours are not a good proxy to develop equations translating part-

time volunteer positions to ull-time-equivalent standards or super-

vision ormulas. Working with 8 volunteers each giving 5 hours o

service weekly (40 hours o total service per week) is signicantly

more time intensive rom a supervision standpoint than working

with a single individual providing an equal amount o time.

We do know however, that more intensive volunteer expectations

require greater sta support and closer supervision. For example, the

Court Appointed Special Advocate program standards speciy one

supervisor to 30 volunteers (National CASA Association, 2006). For su-

pervision purposes, the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department

Volunteer Policy Guide recommends one gardener to 15 volunteers

(SFRPD, n.d.). Neither number, however, indicates the stang comple-


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27

ment o the volunteer oce that recruits and prepares these people or

service. Each organization must examine its own goals, activities, and

workload in volunteer engagement, and decide accordingly about vol-

unteer management stang. Benchmarking your program with others

in similar areas o service may also provide insight about appropriate

stang levels and expectations.

Volunteer/Sta Relations

Almost any new or changed undertaking naturally gets met with re-

sistance. I you dramatically ramp up your community engagement

program, sta are likely to raise concerns about already overwhelm-

ing workloads, job security, the qualications o the volunteers, the

timing o your decision, or roles that community members may

assume. I you have ollowed the steps outlined in this Guide, you

will have handled many o these issues as you engaged your sta in

a shared planning process. A ew additional pointers may also help

you over this hurdle.

I you have not done so already, orm a committee o sta and oth-

er stakeholders to assist with planning and implementation o the

community engagement initiative. Your willingness to listen care-

ully to the demands o your existing personnel will go a long way

in developing their receptivity to the new venture. You will need to

careully consider i all o their concerns are ounded, but certainly

those that are need to be addressed

during the planning process.

Generally, people working in the

service sector are active volunteers

themselves. Help your sta consider

the service they have perormed, and

relate their experiences as a volunteer

to their work as sta who will now

interact with volunteers. None o us

wants our time wasted, nor are we

eager to be treated poorly. Personal-

izing the volunteer experience helps

sta to regard your new workorcepositively.

Orient your sta to your expec-

tations just as you would orient

volunteers to your organization.

I you are serious about this un-

dertaking, you need to make that


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clear. Not only should sta be expected to work within the guide-

lines o appropriate expectations, but also they should be rewarded

or doing so. When recognizing volunteers, thank the sta who

supported them, too. Connect merit raises and the other bonuses to

this expectation, as you would to other job requirements.

And nally, inorm sta about the expectations and reality o thevolunteer workorce. The vast majority o people oering to serve

are eager to helpthey are not there to take jobs or to assume

40-hour-a-week responsibilities. Provide sta with an update on

who is volunteering, as well as how they can become valued mem-

bers o your organizations team.

For additional resources on this topic check out:

http://www.energizeinc.com/art/subj/emp.html.


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29

Concluding Thoughts: Volunteers at the Foreront

Organizations benet rom expanding their conceptualization o

volunteering to examine the complex interplay between the needs and

goals o the organization or cause being served and the concerns and

expectations o the people potentially delivering service. Organized on

the dual axes o time and connection to service, The Volunteer Involve-ment Framework highlights the complexity as well as the richness o

volunteers as a resource.

Using the Framework, one can envision relations with a diverse

array o potential volunteers: people who share the same broad

goalto make a dierencebut see it rom a number o distinct

individual perspectives. As demonstrated here, making a dierence

can occur when one serves a cause he or she believes in, oers a val-

ued skill, and/or acts as part o a network that holds some personal

signicance.

Responding to volunteers specialized perspectives not only leads to

more meaningul experiences or the volunteer but also creates op-

portunities or you, as a nonprot leader. Capitalizing on volunteer

resources, even those generated through short-term contacts such

as days o caring events, can later lead to a cadre o community

supporterspeople who know about your organization, value the

services you provide, and potentially commit to supporting your

mission in an ongoing way. By maximizing even brie encounters,

you can build mailing lists, tell your story, recruit one-time helpers

to oer more in-depth service, and meet new contacts in key organi-

zations or collaboration. However, none o this will occur without

consciously segmenting your volunteer contacts, planning or eec-

tive volunteer engagement, providing resources to ensure positive

volunteer involvement, and targeting volunteer audiences to build

support or your organization.

As a nonprot decision-maker, you will want to consider the op-

tions the Framework presents when planning or volunteer engage-

ment, noting not only the opportunities or volunteer support but

also the various management expectations associated with service

in each o the our quadrants. In addition, you will want to capture

sucient inormation about your community participants to under-

stand all o the ways in which they might be available and willing

to support your organization.

No ramework, regardless o how thoroughly conceptualized, is a

substitute or getting to know the unique needs and concerns o


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30

your particular individual volunteers. A highly skilled, powerul

business executive may want nothing more than to plant fowers

that beautiy an urban area or volunteer with his dog, visiting se-

niors in a nursing home. Likewise, an arborist may relish the oppor-

tunity to create a database or your organization and use a skill set

only marginally connected to her workplace. Just as your wants and

needs vary over time, so, too, do those o volunteers. Respecting thetime and service interest o volunteers turns community members

into partners jointly committed to your organizations success.


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Appendix A

Worksheet: Assessing Current Patterns o Volunteer Engagement

Utilize the grid below, rst to capture the ways in whichyou currently engage volunteers in your organization(remember to include your board o directors1 in this


TiMefor

service

epd

Lg-tm



As you assess your current engagement practices take a ewminutes to assess the eectiveness o your current situation aswell. Where are volunteers most critical to your operations?

diagram). Next, ll in the grid with your ideas or howyou might engage volunteers in your organizations u-ture work.

How is this part o your system being managed and support-ed? How eectively does your sta work with your volunteers?What would you like to change, keep the same, or enhance?

1. Members o your board may serve or both the skills they pos-sess as well as their commitment to your cause or organization.You might want to list members by name in the quadrant wherethey most appropriately belong.


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Appendix B

Volunteer Management Program Cycle

Engagecommunity

Examineorganiza-

tionalmission

Explorepurpose&

expectationsassoci-

atedwithcommunity

engagement

Explora

tionof&prepa-

rationforcommunity

involvement

Desig

nateapoint

perso

n

Conv

eneaplanning

team

Identifypolicy&

liabilityissues

Prepareothers

Defin

epositions,

prepa

ration&support

Preparespace

Allocatefunds

Determinerecord-

keepingsystem

Recruitvolunteers&

connectto

opportuni-

ties

Targetrecruitment

forposition

Interview

check

references

Screen

Orient

Train

Place,support&super-

visevolunteers

On-the-jobtraining

Feedback&coaching

Addressproblem

behaviors

Enlarge-enrichservice

opportunities

Assessperformance

Recognizevo

lunteers

Celebratete

am

performance

Reportachi

evements

Assessprogram

Evaluateoutcomes

Revise&improve

program&service

opportunities

Reviewbenchmarks

Involvevolunteerleadership

inorganizationalplanningand

deliberation

Identifysyste

mstogainstaff

support&involvement

Articulateagencyphilosophy

&vision

Exploretherangeofop-

portunitiesforcommunity

involvement

Examineorganizational

mission

Explorepurpose&expecta-

tionsassociatedwithcom-

munityengagemen

Identifyserviceopportunities

Developpositiondescriptions

Trainstafftoworkwithvolun-

teers

AgencyRecognition

AnnualReports

MiSSiON

pLaN

OrgaNizE

iMpLEMENT&SuppOrT

rEViEw

VolunTEEr

Ma

nagEMEnTPrograMC

yClE

Rehnborg


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Appendix C

Questions to Consider When Hiring a Volunteer Manager

Whatisthevisionforcommunityengagementinyourorganization?Answerstothesequestionswillhelpyouframetheposition,aligntheworkwithinyouragencyandsetap-propriateexpectationsfortheworkahead.

Willvolunteersplayacentralroleinyourservicedeliverysystem?

Whatobjectiveswillvolunteersenableyoutomeetthatwouldnotbemetwithout this workorce?

Whathappenstoyourorganizationandyourabilitytomeetyourobjectiveswithout a ull- or part-time manager o volunteers?

Whatbudgetareyoupreparedtoallocatetothisposition?Wherewillwork-

space be located or volunteers?

Whatofcespaceisavailableforthedirectorthatwillbeaccessible,conve-

nient and allows or a certain amount o privacy? The location you selectsends an important message to the community and prospective volunteers.

Dowehaveexistingstaffwiththerequisiteskills,whosetimecanbefreeduptounder-takethisresponsibility?

Ifastaffpersonwiththeskillsandthepersonalitysuitedforthisjobisalready

available, what responsibilities can be taken away rom his/her current work sothat he/she can undertake this work? Who can undertake the work this personwill no longer be perorming?

Ifastaffpersoniscapableoftakingthison,whatwillyouneedtobudgetfortraining and proessional development to assure that he/she is prepared or the

job? What additional compensation will be paid to this person or expandedduties?

Howwillyoure-introducethispersonwithintheorganization?Whatexpecta-tions will you set or other sta members and their work with volunteers?

Creatinganewpositionwithinourorganization.

Whatwillbetheexpectationsandjobresponsibilitiesforthenewposition?See web sites such as http://www.idealist.org/en/vmrc/index.html or addi-tional inormation. Contact your local nonprot management support centeror volunteer center or additional assistance.

Towhomwillthispersonreportandwhy?Thisshouldbearelativelyseniorposition within the organization and should report to the executive director ordeputy director.

Whatskillsandtalentswillyoulookforinanewhire?Effectivevolunteermanagers generally have exceptional interpersonal and strong managementskills.


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